On Monday, Ms. Dithny Joan Raton, the Minister of Culture, attended the inauguration ceremony of the Conservation Centre of Cultural Heritage (CCC).

Built as part of a partnership between the Ministry of Culture, the University of Quisqueya (UNIQ) and the Smithsonian institute of the United States at a cost of about $ 500,000 (UNIQ 50% and the Smithsonian and Stiller Foundation 50%) the CCC is a space of exchanges, training, exhibition, debates, ideas about the role of culture in economic and social development and a of service delivery structure to public institutions, collectors, artists, and researchers among others. The CCC may make include: restoration of works of art, maintenance of collections, training, the support for projects ith a significant cultural component, support for museums, exhibitions etc...

In her remarks for the occasion, the Minister Raton declared "When a nation is aware of its heritage, it is more able to assume his soul and guide its steps in the march of history [...] The cultural goods are witnesses of history. It is thanks to them that the imagination of a society transcends generations [...] recovery policies, protection and preservation of movable cultural heritage is today among the important tasks of the State.

On the sidelines of the inauguration, the Minister signed an agreement with the Rector of the University for defining the modalities of collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and the University Quisqueya, towards the full accomplishment of the mission of the CCC.

IH/ S/ iciHaiti